Reviews with content warning for Body horror - Flowerheart

Very low stakes and somewhat repetitive. The events of the book take place over a short period of time and the FMC's magic parallels with mental illness so it's understandable to a degree.

The FMC is immature, the MMC is paperthin, the FMC hardly views the MMC as a whole person (expecting him to still be the same as he was as a child), and the most interesting part of the story,

the FMC's confrontation with her mother

, is not resolved in this book. Neither, really, is how the general population reacts to FMC; by the end of the book her bad reputation for having unruly magic just seems to disappear. A plot hook regarding the council is also introduced but not explored.

Did enjoy the casual existence of queer characters without comment save one scene where an apprentice says they appreciate their teacher having a shared identity.

Good for young readers who might be looking for a relatively easy introduction to media dealing with parental trauma and mental illness. Also good for those looking for a low stakes read with a happy ending, who are okay with several plot lines being left unresolved.

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aklovekorn's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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avacadosocks's review

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emotional hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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ribbonquest's review

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emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

The language of flowers and plants and their practical uses are a huge part of Flowerheart's magic. Clara's magic produces flowers based on her emotions. Potion ingredients are chosen based on their meanings and actual effect (ex: garlic could be for digestive health but also good fortune.) The plant meanings are woven throughout the story and really interesting if you're into plant magic.

Flowerheart gets the "cozy fantasy" label from some readers, but I don't entirely agree. Much of the story is magical metaphors for mental health struggles. Clara's magic sometimes speaks to her as negative self talk. Most of the supporting cast have hidden motivations, so it's hard to tell who to trust. It can be very stressful.

Content warning: Plant-based body horror

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druzyquartz's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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yessicookie's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

An interesting depiction of mental health in a world of magic, it was very exciting and intense in some parts! Other parts were a bit slower. I am curious about this fantasy world, i do hope to see a sequel.

I will issue a content/trigger warning for those with a fear of plants growing under their skin that is a recurring theme throughout the entire book.

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camiandkitread's review

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hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

One of my dearest friends gave me “Flowerheart” for Christmas so it moved to the top of my TBR. She said that it was a charming, cozy standalone and I’m happy to report that she was right (she always is)!

“Flowerheart” was a fun YA fantasy that gave serious cottagecore vibes but did have some spooky elements to it. It reminded me of a lighthearted “Sorcery of Thorns,” which is one of my favorite books.

Bakewell definitely leaned on the vibes of the book, but the characters were sweet and the plot was engaging. I love an element of mystery and a deadline from higher forces and “Flowerheart” featured both!

As much as I enjoyed the book, I wasn’t totally satisfied with the ending. I’m not able to say much more without spoiling anything, but there were some consequences and decisions that everyone was distressed by until the end when they appear to have forgotten everything.

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sophiesmallhands's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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